The Criterion Collection

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by diskspinner

I watched the 1st one few days back (borrowed from library) due to comparison with Kill Bill (which I love)...I did not like Lady Snowblood at all...Sure, there is similarity in structure but Tarantino is a much better filmmaker...There is simply no comparison...I am not fan of Samurai type of movies...but it would rank in the bottom part of what I have seen. Anyway I am sure Great Owl, you will love it...because you love all the movies you watch (I wish I could be like that)

Yeah, I rewatched Lady Snowblood recently and I didn't like it at all as well. The first time I saw it, I really liked it a lot. I don't know what happened, but I couldn't wait for it to be over.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Anyone get a chance to take the New World (Extended cut) for a spin?

The PQ is immaculate and the interviews with Farrell and Kilcher are quite good. I also had a chance to read the entire booklet. Excellent release.

I watched it Friday night for the first time. Gorgeous film and loved the perspective captured by Malick. For me this edges Days of Heaven on cinematography. DOH had all of those low light landscape shots, but start to finish this had me in awe. Absolutely stunning.

[buffetfroid]

Originally Posted by Nuck Horris

this is definitely my favorite samurai movie

[buffetfroid]

Originally Posted by oildude

As far as popular music in soundtracks, that is one thing Tarantino gets right most of the time, and also Linklater.

I think Dazed and Confused has the most awesome soundtrack of rock tunes in a film, like the theme songs to a generation of late 1970s high schoolers.

Going back to this. I don't like compilations very much so don't own too many soundtracks of this type, but some of my favorite uses of popular music in movies are The Wanderers and Mean Streets. Both really have perfect synthesis of music and visuals for their credit sequences and most song choices throughout the films were great. Scorsese loves putting rock songs in his movies but he's become over-indulgent. Goodfellas worked pretty well too, like with "Layla". That was f'in perfect. It takes more than just a good song for this to be effective or memorable.

[joie]

"Scream" is great because it deconstructs the genre. It shows how the genre works with characters sitting around watching horror while commenting on what they're watching. "Cabin in the Woods" takes deconstruction to an even higher level.

Once a genre gets tired and runs out of gas, it's ripe for deconstruction. Interestingly, a deconstruction shows what the audience already "knew" but no one had ever articulated.

It probably happened with westerns, too.

[Arch Stanton]

Cabin in the Woods is terrible though imo. It does what you say it does, but Scream was just so much better at doing it - and at this point the whole "let's make an ironic horror movie where we're all in on it right?" thing is completely tired and, ironically, trite in itself.

There's a point where even deconstructing the genre becomes a cliched bore in itself.

[Musicguy]

Hoping Criterion finally releases "The Last Picture Show" as a single title. Other titles from the "American Lost and Found" collection have gotten single releases, but the only title from the collection I'm interested in owning is "TLPS"

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Arch Stanton

Cabin in the Woods is terrible though imo. It does what you say it does, but Scream was just so much better at doing it - and at this point the whole "let's make an ironic horror movie where we're all in on it right?" thing is completely tired and, ironically, trite in itself.

There's a point where even deconstructing the genre becomes a cliched bore in itself.

I'm not a fan of the self-referential meta-horror movies that deconstruct the genre. Just give me a good old kids-stuck-in-the-woods-with-a-killer story that doesn't try to wink at me, and I'm happy.

That's my main problem with Eli Roth's movies. I love listening to Eli Roth talk about horror cinema, I applaud his great taste in films, and I get what he's trying to do, but his movies simply do not scare me at all.

In general, "horror comedy" or "black comedy" movie descriptions send me running in the other direction. The Return of the Living Dead (1985) is a rare example of a horror comedy that actually works, but most of them do nothing for me.

The first Friday the 13th film had likable characters that were stuck in a bad situation through no fault of their own, and as such, the scenes were genuinely unsettling. This type of film works. It always has worked, and it always will work, even if it never wins points for originality. Wrong Turn (2003) works well, although the story is derivative on all levels. The story never grows tiresome, in the same way that amusement park roller coaster rides never grow tiresome.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by Arch Stanton

Cabin in the Woods is terrible though imo. It does what you say it does, but Scream was just so much better at doing it - and at this point the whole "let's make an ironic horror movie where we're all in on it right?" thing is completely tired and, ironically, trite in itself.

There's a point where even deconstructing the genre becomes a cliched bore in itself.

Scream wasn't even the first film to 'deconstruct' the genre, it was merely the first to do it in a way that pleased a mass audience. There was a whiff of condescension to it as well, which is probably why it played so well.

Most films that 'deconstruct' genres are faux clever anyway.

[BagheeraMcGee]

Originally Posted by Musicguy

Hoping Criterion finally releases "The Last Picture Show" as a single title. Other titles from the "American Lost and Found" collection have gotten single releases, but the only title from the collection I'm interested in owning is "TLPS"

I'd say the odds of that are pretty good, given that they've already released stand-alones of Easy Rider and Five Easy Pieces. I figure it's just a matter of time.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by BagheeraMcGee

I'd say the odds of that are pretty good, given that they've already released stand-alones of Easy Rider and Five Easy Pieces. I figure it's just a matter of time.

I would think it would happen eventually. I actually thought the box would be oop by this point.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by buffetfroid

this is definitely my favorite samurai movie

[BagheeraMcGee]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I would think it would happen eventually. I actually thought the box would be oop by this point.

I remember hearing something to that effect (that it would be OOP), but I guess not, at least not now, anyways.

[Will G]

Originally Posted by barfyman

Does anyone else really hope that the next Altman film Criterion does is California Split?

Either that or Brewster McCloud would be my top two choices. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[Knaldskalle]

Originally Posted by Arch Stanton

Cabin in the Woods is terrible though imo. It does what you say it does, but Scream was just so much better at doing it - and at this point the whole "let's make an ironic horror movie where we're all in on it right?" thing is completely tired and, ironically, trite in itself.

There's a point where even deconstructing the genre becomes a cliched bore in itself.

Funny, I thought Cabin In The Woods was brilliant, but Scream did nothing for me.

What about Tucker and Dale vs. Evil?

[Cremildo]

Originally Posted by Will G

Either that or Brewster McCloud would be my top two choices. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

I'd love it if it were Images. The DVD is less than stellar, especially in the audio department.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by barfyman

Does anyone else really hope that the next Altman film Criterion does is California Split? Been wanting to see a proper version of that for a long time now. The DVD has some cuts due to licensing and is out of print so it's a perfect candidate.

That would be a dream. We need more Altman, prostitutes, and gambling in the collection on bluray.

As for the last category we just have Pale Flower, Bay of Angels and Bob Le Flambeur (my favorite Melville, but on DVD only).

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

That would be a dream. We need more Altman, prostitutes, and gambling in the collection on bluray.

McCabe & Mrs Miller hits on all three.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by belcherman

McCabe & Mrs Miller hits on all three.

It sure as hell does!

Speaking of which, I can't wait for all the McCabe & Mrs. Miller virgins to be up in arms about the "AQ" in a few months.

[812crew]

Some special features recommendations I've seen recently, if anyone's on the fence about a particular title and likes good features:

Manchurian Candidate - the Errol Morris interview - I love listening to him talk about movies (his interviews on his own films are equally good), but this was cool to hear him talk about something he wasn't involved in. My only frustration with these are how short they are. From a production standpoint: they book him, light him, mic him, and interview him. There's gotta be more than 14 usable minutes! Let the guy talk for a while!

The Killing - the Sterling Hayden interview - I almost skipped over this one, but I'm really glad I didn't. Sterling Hayden is one of those storytellers you could listen to forever. He's incredibly confessional in these interviews, and a far more contemplative and introspective person than I would have ever imagined.

Speedy - The Harold Lloyd home movies narrated by his granddaughter - There's nothing particularly amazing about this feature, but I really enjoyed seeing Harold Lloyd clown around with his kids. As his granddaughter mentions, many of these home movies were shot on 35mm by his crew, so they're of very high quality. There's also some where he talks, for those who've only seen him in his silent roles.

Paris Texas - The Allison Anders Interview - This is a great feature that makes you appreciate Wim Wenders a lot. Allison Anders wrote to him when she was in college, often sending him letters about her life / her thoughts / her dreams of becoming a filmmaker. One day he shows up at her college and watches her film. Then invites her to work as a PA on Paris Texas. Some of this feature includes her reading her diary from those days of PA-ing.